Margaret Lou Burns, 87, died peacefully at home with her family nearby on May 9, 2019 after a valiant seven-year battle with cancer. She was born Margaret Lou Jones, the youngest child and only daughter of Frank and Naomi Ryman Jones, in Terre Haute, Indiana on August 14, 1931.
Margaret grew up on the Ryman family farm outside of town where she loved the outdoors. She graduated from Wiley High School in 1949 where she was elected Homecoming Queen. Margaret continued her studies at St. Anthony’s Hospital, which was run by the Franciscan nuns in Terre Haute, becoming a registered nurse upon graduation.
Margaret met and married James (Jim) Patrick Burns, a local airman, on August 30, 1952. Jim’s Air Force career carried them all over the United States from Maine to Texas, and even international destinations, including Okinawa, Japan and Adana, Turkey. Margaret and Jim became the parents of 5 sons, each born in a different location, in a span of 10 years, and she was the consummate working mom even before the phrase was coined. When her children were young, she worked the night shift so she could get home in time to prepare breakfast and get them up and dressed and off to school.
Margaret was an exceptional cook, and she loved preparing holiday dinners for the family. As her boys grew up, the Burns home became a frequent gathering place because friends knew Mrs. Burns would give them a warm welcome and something to eat. No one ever walked away from her table hungry.
The family relocated to the Austin, Texas area in the 1960’s, where Margaret excelled in her career as a nurse, rising to the position of Director of Nurses at Holy Cross Hospital, while parenting 5 children and keeping an immaculate home. She continued to provide nursing services during her “retirement”, working for a home health agency for 10 years in Rockport, Texas. Not a lazy bone in her body.
Margaret was also a devout Catholic who never missed mass, even when she was celebrating Christmas with her family in Amsterdam. Never mind that the service was in Dutch. She was a long-time member at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church in Pflugerville, Texas, where she volunteered in the area of hospitality for the St. Vincent De Paul Society.
Her family lost an amazing mother, wife, nurse, mother-in-law, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend, but most of all, an incredible woman.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; her three brothers; her former husband, Jim; and her son, Timothy James Burns. She is survived by four sons, Michael Burns and wife, Geanie, of Dallas, Texas; David Burns and wife, Lisa, of Round Rock, Texas; Thomas Burns and wife, Lynne, of Pflugerville, Texas; and Ronald Burns of Pflugerville, Texas.
She is also survived by four grandchildren, Samantha Burns Goldstein and husband, Scott, of Dallas, Texas; Madeline Burns of Houston, Texas; Rebekah Burns of Portland, Maine; and Lucas Burns and wife, Hanna of Leander, Texas, as well as two great granddaughters, Sadie and Sawyer Goldstein, and countless loving nieces, nephews and friends.
A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, May 21st at 1:00 p.m. at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home at 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas. Donations may be made in Margaret’s memory to the St. Vincent De Paul Society through St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church (stelizabethpf.org).
